Identification of ostrich meat by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of cytochrome b gene

To enforce labeling regulations in the authentication of ostrich meat, it might be of importance to evaluate a method to identify the ostrich meat. A restriction site of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) product has been used for the specific identification of ostrich meat. In the present study the part of the gene encoding cytochrome h was amplified and sequenced. The digestion of the PCR products using specific restriction enzymes Hae III, Hinf I, Rsa I, and Tru 9I were used to yield specific restriction proffles that allowed a direct identification of ostrich meat in raw and heat-treated samples from meat of other food animal species.